Gruff Rhys, the frontman of alternative rock band Super Furry Animals, is back with a sixth solo album named Pang!. The album will be released on September 13th through English indie label Rough Trade Records. With the announcement of the upcoming album, he has released the title track as a single.

The instrumentation of “Pang!” is complex, featuring some uptempo snare drums, a few acoustic guitar riffs, intermittent horn bursts, some tambourine backing, and more. Outside of the chorus, much of the instrumentation, especially the guitar and drums develops a pattern (while still avoiding any repetitiousness) that fits in nicely with Rhys’s Welsh language verses and breaths in between lines.

Gruff Rhys has been active as a musician since the late 80s. He is most well-known for his work with Super Furry Animals, who released nine studio albums over the course of almost 15 years to consistent commercial and critical success. Two of the albums achieved the coveted Gold certification in the UK, and they released countless UK top 40 singles. Rhys released his first solo album, Yr Atal Genhedlaeth, in 2005.  His most recent solo output includes 2018’s Babelsburg and 2014’s American Interior, both of which were released to critical acclaim.

Pang Tracklist:

1. Pang!
2. Bae Bae Bae
3. Digidigol
4. Ara Deg (Ddaw’r Awen)
5. Eli Haul
6. Niwl O Anwiredd
7. Taranau Mai
8. Ol Bys / Nodau Clust
9. Annedd Im Danedd
8. Oi Bys Nodau Clust
9. Annedd Im Danedd

Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat